Chapter 97 Let's Talk

Seeing everyone's attitude, Chen Feng stood in the courtyard and burst into tears.

"Waaaaah, Jiang Yeming, you're not human! You're bullying me because I'm in postpartum confinement and there's nothing I can do about it, right?"

She wiped away her tears, crying loudly, wishing the whole village would come and see the spectacle.

"I was hoping you'd perform some kind of ritual for me, but I never imagined you'd become so independent and leave without a second thought, not even coming to see us for two days... Waaah, I was so blind to have married such a jerk..."

"What the hell?" Jiang Yeming said in a deep voice, "Didn't you tell me to get out that day? You smashed all the pots and pans you could. Since you're so strong, do you really need someone to take care of you during your postpartum period?"

"Since you're so capable, I'll just leave. Anyway, you, Chen Feng, have a big temper, and I, Jiang Yeming, am just a coward. You go find someone better now, and I guarantee I'll personally escort you to remarry, okay?"

He pointed to the door and said, "If you want to vent your anger, go outside. My mother said that if we ever argue and it gets on their nerves, we'll move out of the thatched cave."

"Anyway, I don't care. If you don't want to suffer from postpartum illness, then keep making a fuss. I won't care about you." With that, Jiang Yeming picked up the wooden bucket from the ground and walked out of the yard.

Song Chunxue stood at the door with her arms crossed. When she saw Chen Feng glare at her, she reluctantly turned around and left the yard.

Oh ho, you're still hoping she'll give in and take care of you during your postpartum period?

"If you don't keep your eyes straight, and glare at me like that again, I'll gouge them out. You've spoiled me!" Song Chunxue shouted. "Don't flaunt your Chen family's bad habits. What family's daughter-in-law is so restless during her postpartum period, always picking on others?"

“If you want to insult Jiang Yeming, then insult her. If you throw things in my yard, then all three of you get out of here and go wherever you want. I won’t put up with your sarcastic remarks.”

"Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you cry loudly. If you're so tough, throw the bucket in my face, and I'll respect you as someone special!"

Chen Feng was taken aback by Song Chunxue's harsh words and stood frozen in place.

Jiang Yeming was outside the door receiving an IV drip, without uttering a sound.

Song Chunxue was furious and strode down the steps to stand at the gate of the courtyard.

"Boss, did you hear that?"

She yelled, "She's not just throwing a tantrum at you, she's making our whole family miserable. If you can't control your wife next time, I'll send her to the Chen family, and you can get the hell out of here and stop causing me trouble."

Jiang Yeming stepped down from the cellar platform. "I heard you. If Chen Feng continues like this, I'll move out myself without Mother having to tell me."

*

Chen Feng'an worked for two days, with the eldest brother leaving early and returning late, eating homemade steamed buns for lunch while rushing to finish building the house.

When he returned in the evening, Chen Feng had already finished eating and washed the dishes, so he did his own thing, washed the dishes, and went to sleep in the south room.

When Chen Feng saw him close the door and leave, she was so angry that she threw the pillow on the kang (a heated brick bed) onto the ground.

Then, she held the child and cried.

Every day, Song Chunxue would harness a donkey, pull a cart to the fields to pick corn, and return home with a cartload of corn.

What's remarkable is that the fourth brother would also drive the sheep to a nearby open space and help her pick corn.

“Mother, I heard that Cheng’s third son found a job patrolling the mountains on horseback and he’s doing quite well. If I don’t want to let the herds roam freely next year, I’ll go find a job outside.”

The third son of the Cheng family, riding a horse?

Song Chunxue's eyelids twitched suddenly, as she thought of something unpleasant.

"Didn't you want to study?" Song Chunxue forced a smile.

“Why bother studying? I never liked studying. You insisted on making me a scholar. I don’t like working hard at home, so I’ve been studying all this time.”

"After herding sheep for a few months, I suddenly realized how awful I had been. I didn't appreciate my mother's hard work. From now on, we won't waste that money. Let Sanwa go to school. At least we can save some money in a year."

The fourth brother was quite fast at picking corn, and his tone was somewhat mature.

Looking at his tanned skin and his simple, casual clothes, Song Chunxue was somewhat surprised.

"You actually have such awareness?" Song Chunxue looked at him suspiciously. "Are you just trying to make me happy? Why are you suddenly saying such pleasant things? Is there something you want to tell me?"

The fourth brother laughed, clearly pleased that his prediction had come true.

Song Chunxue knew that.

"Tell me, do you want her, or have you set your sights on a girl from another family?"

The fourth brother took a step back. "What girl? I'm still young, I don't want a girl. I just haven't been to the market in a long time, I wanted to go for a stroll, and I haven't had roasted lamb skewers in ages, I'm really craving them."

The fourth oldest used to eat well and go out with his classmates from time to time, but he's never been this well-behaved lately.

Song Chunxue also knew that he was not Sanwa, so it was good for him to go out for a walk occasionally, lest he quit one day and run away with someone and never come back.

The Qin Yue Kingdom is now powerful, and the lives of its people are much better than before. Many people have stopped farming and gone out to make a living.

Many young people want to try their luck outside, rather than spending their whole lives stuck in this remote mountain village.

"Sure, when do you want to go, and how many copper coins do you want?"

"Not many, just ten. I mainly went for a walk. I've been stuck on the mountain for too long and I'm feeling really stifled," the fourth brother said dejectedly. "A classmate borrowed a few copper coins from me before and hasn't paid me back yet."

Song Chunxue laughed at him, "Then don't even think about it, you definitely won't get it back."

"Anyway, I'm going to find him. Even if I don't get it back, I'll accept it." The fourth son looked at the endless cornfields and sighed. "Mother, aren't you tired of growing grain for so many years?"

This question hit Song Chunxue's funny bone.

"You're hilarious. I'm so annoyed, but if I don't do this, who will raise my children? Who will do the chores? What will our whole family eat?"

She said with a half-smile, "I hate your father too. He had so many children, and then suddenly passed away, leaving such a heavy burden on my shoulders. I've wanted to dig him out of the ground so many times and give him a good scolding, but it's no use."

The fourth brother turned and glanced at her, then moved a few steps away.

"Didn't you ever think about finding a son-in-law to live with us, like Zhao Yufang did, so we could have a stepfather or something?"

Song Chunxue was stunned and looked at Lao Si in surprise.

The fourth brother thought she was going to hit someone, and he darted away like a rabbit in fright.

"Mom, I was just curious and asking casually."

Song Chunxue dropped the corn in her hand, "You little brat, stop right there!"

"Mom, you can't catch me," the fourth son said, standing far away with his hands on his hips and grinning at her. "None of them dare to ask you this question, so tell me."

Song Chunxue stopped. "You really want to know?"

The fourth brother's eyes lit up. "Of course, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone else."

If she were really only thirty-six years old, upon hearing this, she would definitely beat the fourth brother half to death, become furious and embarrassed, and warn him not to ask any more questions.

But Song Chunxue is now over seventy years old.

She looked around and saw that no one was there, then sighed softly.

"Actually, a beggar once mentioned something like this. Back then, we were all struggling. Before the autumn harvest, I even went to other villages to beg for food and borrow grain."

"So I refused. That year there was a drought, and I was afraid that if he were added to the list, we wouldn't have enough water to drink."

The fourth brother pressed on curiously, "So where is he now? Have you thought about finding someone else?"